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Is Hinching a huge backstep for feminism?

I recently read an article about the rise of cleaning-related instagram accounts, being a huge backstep for feminism. This is my two cents on the matter.

I’m a proud feminist with a cleaning account on Instagram, which some might see as a complete oxymoron, as if housework is all together ‘anti-feminist’.

The Stats

To be fair, there is good reason to be concerned. In 2016, the office for national statistics published a report finding that women completed almost 60% more of the unpaid work, than men. Infuriatingly, one report in 2014 shows that as women earn more than their partners, men in certain areas do less and less housework the more their partners earn! The only exception to the rule was cooking, a job that the men in question haven’t categorised as ’emasculating’ within their culture.

Societal Pressure

Many of us are raised believing childcare and housework is a women’s responsibility. We’re taught to attach the cleanliness and tidiness of our home to our self worth, and it’s less-common to find men attaching their self worth to their home in this way. Societal pressure to keep a clean home is widely felt by women.

Not only do we have the glass ceiling to content with, there’s also the sticky floor. In order for us to have successful careers, use our time wisely and fairly and avoid the ‘sticky floor’, we need to fix this. We have to make a change!

My Story

I’m the main breadwinner in my household, working longer hours, with a longer commute than my partner. Even so, it’s been a uphill struggle to get him to realise I simply won’t ‘put up with’ doing more than my fair share of the housework. It’s been a painful struggle to get to a point where jobs are shared fairly in our home.

#ItsNotMyHouseworkItsOurs

As it stands, I have a small Instagram following of 6000+ followers, (small in comparison to the ‘cleanfluencers’ out there)!

It’s important to me to ensure that my voice is heard. I strongly encourage women to PUSH BACK in their own homes, and share responsibilities fairly. Cleaning is NOT ‘women’s work’ it’s for EVERYONE. Influencers in this field have a responsibility to share the same message, in my opinion, and most of them do that very well. Mrs Hinch makes it clear that her and Jamie are both cleaning the house. The organised mum method is all about everyone pulling their weight. Cleanfluencers are not dragging women back into the 50’s, despite what some people say.

I encourage my followers to use their voice, to say no and to push back. To step up and be heard when sharing the responsibilities out. Be strong! I’m using my voice to urge them to PUSH BACK, don’t put up with it! ❌ #ItsOurHouseworkNotMine

If both partners are working, both paying the bills… Then one should never let their partner tell them they are helping the other, with THEIR housework. They should ask their partners to correct themselves, every single time. They are not helping. They are simply doing exactly what is expected of them.

(Any mums reading this raising boys… Make sure you raise them for modern life so their girlfriends don’t have to.) 🙏

Stay at home mums and traditionalists

If you HAVE used your voice, and you have chosen to take on all of the domestic duties yourself, I respect your choice. If have chosen the domestic roles as solely your own. Then you fill your boots. There’s no judgement here. I have endless respect and admiration for stay at home parents and people that take on roles of their own choice.

Does being a #Hincher make me any less of a feminist?

All of us, male or female, are allowed to share and enjoy the little things in life. We’re all mopping our floors anyway, so what’s wrong with us making that into a bit of a party and sharing your buffting dance online? 🎈🎉

Does it make me any less of a feminist? NO. Am I taking a huge backstep for feminism? NO. I encourage my followers to push back and share jobs equally, I work hard and I clean hard 🤣 Just like my boyfriend does.

Are cleaning influencers helping our mental health?

Learning the art of cleaning is the latest trend taking instagram by storm! Since the tail end of 2018 there’s been a huge rise in the number of cleaning blogs and instagram pages like mine. Interestingly a common theme and talking point within the cleaning community is mental health and anxiety.

The Trend

Some of the most-popular images shared by cleaning bloggers are what I would call ‘organisation porn’. Well-styled images of perfectly organised cleaning cupboards, neatly folded clothes or cloths and plastic tote bags folded into tidy triangles (aka carrier bag samosas).

What is it about these images? Why are they so satisfying to look at? I decided to do some research and I learned that there is positive psychology connected to organisation and cleanliness.

The Facts

In 2010 The University of California published a study, in which they tested 30 couples for stress hormones. Those who described their house as messy or chaotic displayed increased levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone produced in response to stress. The same study also found that women were more adversely affected by clutter than men. I also found three other studies supporting the idea that cleaning is good for your mental health linked in a ‘Psychology Today’ article here.

Cleaning is one part of it. The second part of this craze is the number of these influencers talking openly about their mental health. According to The Mental Health Foundation, talking about your feelings can help you to stay in good mental health when you’re feeling troubled!

My Experience

I suffer with anxiety myself. In December 2018 I started to suffer greatly with anxiety and started to experience feelings of agoraphobia for the first time.

I found joy watching Mrs Hinch shine her sink, it was oddly satisfying for me, I couldn’t get enough! I soon found Charlotte’s page and many others, like Mancleany and Serenehomelife for example and I began to notice a pattern. Many cleaning influencers were talking openly about mental health, managing anxiety and cleaning their anxiety away.

Following these influencers has given me focus, motivation, and helped me to stay organised and clean at home. This is positive for my mental state of mind.

More importantly, it has connected me to others who can relate to my mental health experience, I now have many impartial people to speak to. Sometimes I don’t want to burden my loved ones with the way I’m feeling, to say anything but ‘i’m fine’ can be difficult. Whereas, It’s easy to talk to strangers and truly be yourself without guilt or shame.

Now I know that cleaning your home is proven to be good for your mental health, as is talking about your problems… it makes sense. The combination of both things (cleaning and talking openly), is positive to take part in, and positive to watch.

We have a mental-health epidemic in the UK. The rise of the cleaning influencer, in my opinion, after looking at the research, can only be a positive thing.

Thousands of people claim to feel saved by Mrs Hinch, and the research backs this up.

Of course the cleaning craze is by no means a cure, but people are finding positive coping mechanisms and sharing their stories. Cleaning and sharing is helping people to ‘get by’ and take positive steps for themselves while their mental health is under strain.

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#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

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